Bloody Mary
by Kristastic
Summary: Suze has delt with the weird. Its all she knows. From vampires to ghosts, shes seen it all. That is until Jenny Davenport winds up dead & blames it on the old wives tale thats Bloody Mary. Soon Suze finds herself in over her head.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: I wrote this story 2 years ago and although I never finished it I'm starting over. This is the revised version. Hope you like it.**

**Bloody Mary**

**Prologue**

"Do it! Do it!" A chorus of friends chanted to Jenny.

Jenny smiled showing off her pearly whites. Gracefully she got up from her boyfriends lap, took the shot glass filled with vodka out of his hand and swigged it down. Something she would definitely regret in the morning, considering she had already drank 3 beers. But who cares. Her parents are going to be gone until tomorrow afternoon. It would give her plenty of time to get rid of her hangover and the mess her friends had created.

"Alright. Steph please remind me what I'm doing again?" She asked as she stretched and ran her fingers through her curly blonde hair.

"Well girlie. I just dared you to go into your bathroom and turn off all the lights and chant Bloody Mary 3 times." Her best friend replied grinning wickedly.

"Oooh. I'm so scared. This has got to be the most frightening dare EVER!" She mocked suppressing back a giggle.

Jenny gave her boy toy a peck on the lips before departing.

"I'll be back!" She hollered over her shoulder on the way to the bathroom.

"One can only hope darling! One can only hope!" He replied with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes and went inside the bathroom. She light a candle and turned off the lights. Her reflection glowed in the candle light. She smiled to herself.

"Bloody Mary…" She muttered. She couldn't help but think how ridiculous this all was.

"Bloody Mary…" She said it louder this time.

"BLOODY MARY!" She shouted.

She held her breath for a moment waiting for something to happen. As she expected, nothing did.

Jenny rolled her eyes again. "How lame…" She muttered. As she was reaching to flip on the lights she saw a shadow. She paused.

"What the…." She gazed deeper into the mirror, her heart pounding. That's when she appeared. A woman with long black hair, the palest skin Jenny had ever seen and eyes that looked almost hallow stared at her from inside the mirror.

"Oh my god…" Jenny's heart was pounding so hard it was about to beat outside of her chest. She spun around hoping it was just the beers making her see things.

That's when Jenny came face to face with the woman.

"Hello Jenny…" Mary hissed.

Jenny heard screaming, it must have been her own but she was so confused and dizzy. What was going on?

She stared at Mary straight in the eyes and felt something drip down her face. She glanced in the mirror, afraid to take her eyes off of Mary. It was blood running down her cheeks.

Mary was somehow scratching her eyes out and there was nothing she could do…

Jenny continued to scream, Mary's face was burned into her mind. She could hear her boyfriend pounding on the door but it was to late. Everything turned black.

**Chapter 1**

"Father Dominick you have got to be out of your mind!" I said slamming the purple silly putty into my hand. I had seized the putty from Father D's confiscated items drawer. The same one where he got the Gameboy that he was playing with. The sounds of Frogger were filling my ears as we talked in his office.

"Susannah. I am not out of my mind. You of all people should realize that these things could exist. I mean ghosts are real, so why not this?"

I flattened the putty and drew a grumpy face into it with my thumbnail. Sometimes I wonder if Father D had been dropped on his head as a child.

"Father D, you have to admit that this is a little bit far fetched. I mean, a girl dying because she said Bloody Mary three times into her mirror?" I replied rolling the putty into a ball.

"Legends can be true." He said, his fingers flying over the Gameboy. His comments where getting shorter and shorter the more he got into the game.

"Father, can you press pause for a second here?" I asked.

He sheepishly looked up from the game and paused, the tips of his ears red with embarrassment.

"Sorry Susannah. This game, well, it's rather addictive. I can see why Tommy was playing it in class. Now where were we?" He asked.

"You were just telling me that Jenny, the girl that just died, told you she was killed by Bloody Mary." I pursed my lips. This was absolutely ridiculous.

"Oh…Right. Well, that's pretty much it." He replied and I could see his fingers itching towards the game boy.

"Father D. That can't be it. Tell me what happened. Word for word ok?" I asked and grabbed the Gameboy and set it in my lap. I was supposed to be in pre-calculus right now so I was taking any opportunity I could get to hold off on going back. I despise math.

"Well where should I start?" He asked.

"I find the beginning is always the best."

He ignored my witty banter and began. "Last night I was here in my office preparing the memorial for the junior Jenny Davenport, who as you know, died a few days ago from an accident."

"What accident?" I interrupted.

I remembered seeing her name in the paper, and knew that she had died, but it didn't say why. My mom, a local news reporter didn't even know.

"Well, erm, I don't exactly know the details surrounding her sudden death."

"So, you don't know?"

"No."

"Don't you find that odd?" I asked him.

"Susannah, I find the whole situation odd. That's just one part of it. Now may I continue?" The good Father asked.

"Yeah sorry. Go on."

"I was prepping for the memorial service when I knocked over a cup of coffee on my desk."

I looked around the room. Coffee sounded really, really good right now.

"Speaking of which, do you have a coffee pot in here?" I asked interrupting him again.

He just stared at me for a minute.

"Or, you know, you could continue with your story before I so rudely interrupted." I said.

"Thank you Susannah. I do have a coffee pot in the corner. Although at your age, I don't think that caffeine is something you should be having so early in the day. Or in general. But do what you want."

I smiled at him and got up from my seat and walked to the corner and poured some coffee into a cup that said Best Principle. It was the cup that I had got him for his birthday.

"Anyway, I knocked over the cup and ran out of paper towels. I went to the janitors closet and got a new roll. On the way back, sitting in the courtyard, was Jenny. Now being the kind and friendly mediator that I am…"

I snorted at his last sentence. He was starting to sound like my late grandfather when he talked about his war stories. Or just his stories in general. You know the kind where they walk up hill both ways in snow for 20 miles just to get to school.

"Are you listening?" He asked interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes. Go on." I said for the third time at least.

"I was talking to poor Jenny and she told me that the night that she died, she had a party. Her parents didn't know about it and obviously, the students who attended aren't talking."

"Wait! Let me guess. This party most likely involved many illegal substances, booze for one." I inhaled the _Folgers_ coffee before sipping.

"Correct. They started to play truth or dare after learning that the cable was out. Her best friend Stephanie dared her to go into the bathroom, turn off the lights and say Bloody Mary three times. So she did. And she never came out."

"But wouldn't the police notice the fact that drunken teens called 911? I mean, you'd think that the story would get leaked to the press but so far all it says is that she died."

"Do you know who the Davenports are?" He asked me.

"No…Should I?" I asked.

"They are some of the richest people in Carmel." 

"And with money comes power…" I added.

"Exactly. They give half a million to police funds a year and a quarter of that to this school."

I practically spitted my coffee out onto poor Father D.

"Half a million?! How did they get that much cash?"

Father Dom shrugged. "I really don't know but with the money they have, I'm not surprised that the story of the death of their daughter is less then angelic."

I nodded in agreement. She probably could have been a mass murderer but with that much money, she could come off as a saint if her parents wanted her to.

"So what did Jenny say about Bloody Mary?"

"She said that when she turned off the lights and said it, nothing happened. At least, not right away. When she went to go turn on the lights, she saw something in the corner of her eye. She looked and saw, well Mary. She looked her straight in the face and then Jenny felt something running down her own face. It was blood. She couldn't see there was so much. But then she realized that her eyes where scratched out like the legend entails. Next thing she knows, her parents are crying and no one can see her so she went to the court yard." He finished the story and eyed the Gameboy in my lap.

"So Jenny can't move on until we take down the supposed Mary?" I asked itching to make sure my own eyeballs where intact. I resisted the urge to rub them by picking up the silly puddy again.

He nodded in response.

"How do we know that Jenny wasn't just on some wacky?"

"Wacky?" He echoed. "I beg your pardon?"

"Wacky tobaccy? Mary Jane? Weed?" I spelled out.

"Why Susannah! How could you think that?" He asked and took off his glasses and cleaned it with a cloth on his desk. It was something he did when he was frustrated. Most of the time I was the source of the frustration. Poor guy.

Sometimes Father Dominic could be really naive. It's like he's living in the 50's where everyone giggles at the word kiss and they go to sock hops on Fridays. Or whatever decade that is…

"Sorry Father. You're right. Bloody Mary must be real." I sighed.

"Well if your not going to take this seriously…" Father Dominic looked hurt. I hated it when he did that.

"No I'll take it seriously. I promise. But what should I do?" I asked getting up. I had probably missed more then enough pre-calculus to be excused from that pop quiz.

"I don't know yet. But in the mean time, do what you do best." He said and handed me a note to get back into class. I took it and walked to the door.

"And that is?" I asked.

"Snoop around." He replied with a grin.

Haha. Really funny Father D. Really funny.

..OoOoOoO..

The next period was homeroom, hosted by Mr. Walden, the only one that would take on the senior class, namely us. I slung myself into my usual seat next to Adam and CeeCee, who where playing footsie under the table. If Jesse and I ever get like that, all love sick puppyish, I wish to be shot. Seriously shot in the head.

Paul came into the room and took his seat behind me. He leaned over and whispered into my ear, "Hear about the dead girl?"

I turned around and almost hit him in the head by accident. He laughed and leaned back.

"Yeah, I have heard about her. Way to be sensitive by the way."

"Thanks Suze. Anyway have you heard _from_ her by any chance?" He whispered.

"No but Father D has. I was kind of surprised to find out he didn't call you into his office earlier." I answered in a low whisper. Something that was unnecessary because no one was really paying attention to us. Except Kelly Prescott who was in the back watching us talk.

"I was busy." 

"With what?" I asked.

"Things. What is this? 20 questions?"

"Yeesh someone is PMSing." I muttered.

"I heard that." He laughed at me.

"From my lips to God's ears." I replied. "Anyway, why do you ask about Jenny?"

"Well, to be honest, she and I went out on a date a few weeks ago, and I was really starting to like her." His voice dropped an octave as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry Paul." I said and frowned at him.

Adam and CeeCee started giggling like mad.

I glanced at CeeCee and rolled my eyes.

"Quite down everyone!" Mr. Walden's voice filled the room. He was huge like the brawny man. He even had on a plaid shirt like the guy on the paper towels.

"Now, I only have one announcement today, then you can go back to your chit chat." He said.

Chit chat. All these teachers where living in the past. I swear it.

"On Friday, we have a mandatory memorial service for Jenny Davenport. The Davenports have made a donation in honor of her that will be unveiled at that time. It will be held after school and will last half an hour. After that time, if needed grief counselors will be available. That's all." Mr. Walden turned back to his lesson plan that he had been working on before.

At the turn of the hour, we all left for lunch. I picked up my wool coat, and followed my friends out to the yard. I was brown bagging my leftovers Andy had made for dinner the other night.

I shivered as I pulled on the coat. It was after all, November on the coast and although it doesn't get as cold as it did back in New York, it can get pretty windy.

"Does anybody know anything about the legend of Bloody Mary?" I asked.

Paul casted me an odd glance.

CeeCee, who had pulled out her laptop to finish an article for the newspaper only moments ago, held up a hand, the universal sign for stop or hold on.

Adam, Paul and I all sat in silence as CeeCee used her WiFi connection to search the web. Sometimes it pays to have rich friends.

"Legend has it that Bloody Mary was a women whose children had either died or was killed by her. If you go into the bathroom and say her name 3 times she will appear and if you look at her directly, she will scratch your eyeballs out." 

"Why the eyeball scratching?" I asked intrigued.

"She doesn't want you to look at her because she feels guilty when you do. Or so it says."

I put my fork back down not really wanting to take a bit of Polpetti pasta. The story CeeCee just told was the same thing that happened to Jenny.

"Why do you ask anyway?" Paul asked.

"No reason. Just wondering." I answered.

"Sure…" Paul replied skeptical.

"I dare you to go into the bathroom right now Suze and say it." Adam said.

"Haha. No thanks. I've gotten pretty attached to my retinas." I replied.

"What? Don't tell me you think this is real do you?" CeeCee asked balancing her laptop in her lap and eating a bite of cold pizza.

"No! No it's just a legend."

Or so I hope.


	2. Chapter 2

Bloody Mary

Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"For Gods sakes!" I mumbled under my breath, and blew my bangs up frustrated. I was sitting at a computer after school searching for more information on Bloody Mary and I was ready to throw the keyboard at the screen. The Internet is handy and all but shifting through all the crap is taking up a lot of my time. But still, I suppose its better then going through old records in the public library like I usually.

"Something wrong quierda?" A voice said behind me. It was the only voice that could make my legs melt. It was also the only voice that made my heart race and palms all sweaty. God, I was becoming such a sap like Cee and Adam. Someone load the shotgun.

"Jesse!" I said and spun around in the chair, relieved for a distraction. "What are you doing here?"

"You need a ride home."

This is true. I had told Brad (better known to me as Dopey) that he could just take David (aka Doc) home. We all share the Range Rover and much to my chagrin, Dopey drives us to and from school in the morning. The only reason he does is because he got his license mere minutes before I did. I still fear for my life every morning when he gets behind the wheel. Anyway, I told Dopey that I would find a ride home and that I had a student council meeting. Both of which, where pure lies. The student council meeting wasn't until tomorrow, and wasn't even after school but at lunch.

"How did you know?" I asked and got up to give him a kiss. Who cares if I'm a sap. I'm a sap in love.

"I called your house. Brad told me you where still at school so I figured you where up to something." Jesse replied and glanced over at the computer screen. He knew me so well. "Some light reading?" He asked.

"Jenny died because of Bloody Mary."

"Who is Jenny?" He asked and took a seat next to mine.

I wonder how he got in here. Usually Sister Ernestine, local nun and torturer, does not allow the tourists or guests inside the classrooms without a pass. See my school, Junipero High, is a mission. Or used to be anyways. So everyday a bunch of tourists walk around the place. Which is why we don't have a bell system, instead on the hour we switch classes. I don't see what's so interesting about the place to make me visit it on a vacation, but then again I've never been much of a church person.

"Jenny is, or rather was, a junior who died a couple of days or so ago." I replied in a monotone voice.

"I'm sorry Susannah. Was she your friend?" He asked and slung a comforting arm around me.

"Not really. She was getting pretty close to Kelly Prescott through student council. Jenny told Father Dom that Bloody Mary killed her."

"Isn't that a drink?" He asked his eyebrows fused together as he scanned the article I was reading.

"Well…Yes. It is a drink but it wasn't the drink that killed her. It was her. Or so she says." I replied and tapped on the screen at the picture of Mary. She looked like the girl from _The Ring_. Her hair was long and black and in front of her face giving her an emo effect.

"I think I've heard that story before." Jesse said.

"Which one?"

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"Well, there are about 50 billion different versions of the story." I replied and clicked on the screen. "See this one is about Queen Mary the first. It says here she had a bunch of false pregnancies and miscarriages so when you call out to her you say her name 13 times. Because that's how many miscarriages she's had."

"Nombre de dios." Jesse muttered and pulled his chair closer to mine, his arm still slung around my shoulder.

"I know. Its crazy right?" I glanced at him and took a deep breath. Jesse was absolutely breath taking.

He nodded and smiled at me.

"And this one… It says that when she appears she takes your eyes out and then bathes in your blood. But it has to be virgins blood so she can be forever youthful."

"Which is something she is not." Someone said behind us.

"Slater." Jesse tipped his head towards Paul in a manly gesture. They are still, a year later, not at the best terms since Paul exercised Jesse's soul. Not that I blame him. Jesse I mean. I'd be livid too.

"Hello Jesse. Suze." Paul tipped his head back towards Jesse.

"Hey Paul. And don't speak ill of the dead." I said to him, referring to his comment about Jenny.

"You never explained why you where so curious about the cursed Bloody Mary. And you where pretty quick to brush off the fact that you asked about it at lunch." Paul said, completely ignoring me.

"Jenny Davenport claims Mary killed her." Jesse answered.

I smacked him in the arm.

"Ow. What? Paul asked. Jeez quierda. Don't hit my writing arm, finals are in a few weeks." Jesse joked.

He was currently, I am proud to say, attending medical school. It is something he has always dreamed of doing.

"Well…that is strange. How could Mary have killed her?" Paul asked and pulled up a chair next to us. We now were forming a small, awkward circle.

"Why don't we just ask Jenny? We are, after all, 3 mediators." Jesse said.

I glanced around the lab to make sure no one was listening. Thank God, we were the only three people in the room. I wasn't quite ready for everyone at school to hear about my secret.

I looked over at Paul to see what he thought. That's when I saw something I've never seen before. Paul looked panicked. For a brief moment he looked like summoning Jenny would be the worst thing to do. Paul looked like he had something to hide. I could blame it on my over reactive imagination but I highly doubted that was it. Paul saw me look at him and quickly recomposed himself.

"Fine but not here. Either your place or yours." I said and pointed to Paul and then to Jesse.

"Lets go to former ghost boys place. My Dad is in town." Paul said causing Jesse to grunt at the new nickname he gave him.

I logged out, gathered my stuff, which Jesse so graciously carried (who said that chivalry is dead?), and the three of us made our way to the parking lot. We stepped out of the computer lab and into the courtyard only to come face to face with Sister Ernestine, who I'm sure, take's great joy in making my life a living hell.

"Miss Simon. Mr. Slater. Who is this?" She asked, her eyes narrowing towards Jesse, even though I'm sure she's met him before.

Jesse, God bless him, slung my bag over his left shoulder so he could put his right hand out for Sister Ernestine to shake.

She reluctantly took his hand.

"I'm Jesse De Siliva a friend of Father Dominic's and Susannah's boyfriend." He said as he shook her hand.

Sister Ernestine stood speechless and kept pumping his hand up and down. Finally, she got the ability to function again and dropped his hand.

"Well Miss Simon you know the rules about visitors, they need a pass. But since he is a friend of Father Dominic, I suppose I can let this one slide." She said no longer at a loss for words, much to my disappointment.

"Thank you Sister. Well, we better get going now." I said and started to walk off towards the parking lot with Jesse and Paul trailing behind me.

Once we got to Jesse's car, Paul erupted in fits of laughter.

"Man Suze, she really does not like you does she?" He said in between laughing.

"No, she doesn't. Which is really hard to understand considering I have such an amazing track record for the two years I've gone here. Oh and my sparkling personality." I replied sarcastically.

Jesse laughed and put my bag into the back seat of his Jeep Liberty. He earned the money from the job at the historical society that Father Dominic set him up with a year ago. I'm proud to say Jesse is a full time student, has a job, and is a contributing member to society. Oh how far he has come in the past year.

"Well Paul, we'll lead the way to Jesse's apartment so just follow." I said wrapping my arm around Jesse's waist.

"You're wish is my command." Paul answered and walked over to his BMW and waved to us over his shoulder.

This should be interesting.

..OOoOOoOOoOO..

"So, Susannah, summon her." Jesse said scratching Spike, his pet cat's head.

I glanced at Paul, who again had a moment of panic in his face that he quickly hid. Something was obviously going on here.

"Paul? Do you want to summon her?" I asked and sat down on the couch next to Jesse that he had in his living room. If you could even call it that. His apartment was small, but clean. It had a small kitchen that lead to the family room that contained three doors. One was to the bathroom and the other to his bedroom. The third door was the front door.

Shortly after he moved in I had helped him decorate it. The walls where painted a light yellow which Father Dom said had brightened up the place. Jesse and I had also gone shopping and bought the cheapest and most appealing looking furniture to put into the apartment. The couch that my butt was currently parked on Jesse had picked out. It was a manly black leather one that squeaked whenever you moved.

"No, go ahead Suze. You can summon her." Paul said who was sitting at the counter in the kitchen clearly keeping his distance from Jesse and I.

Paul really did not want her here. That much was obvious. I suppose its time to find out why. I closed my eyes and just thought about Jenny. I pictured the last time I had seen her and called out her name in my head.

When I opened my eyes, Jenny was right in front of me looking as cute as the last time I had seen her a few weeks ago.

Her blonde curls where perfect and her pink Lacoste polo had no wrinkle. Her black pants where even creased down the middle (something I think makes people look tacky but who am I to judge).

"Suze. I figured it would only be a matter of time before I talked to you." She said smiling at me.

Like I said, I didn't know Jenny that well, but it still hurt to see her standing before me. We are after all on, or had been on, student counsel together this year. My heart swelled with grief and I thought about how she would never see her friends or family again.

"Jenny?" A gruff voice said.

Jesse, Jenny and I all looked towards the kitchen to look at Paul. It almost looked like his heart was in some way breaking.

"Paul?" Jenny said and walked up to him, if I wasn't mistaking I could see tears forming in her eyes.

Jesse and I sat in silence as we watched this play out. Spike even stopped rubbing himself against Jesse's foot and started to watch Paul and Jenny.

"You can see me?" Jenny asked him. She was now standing less then a foot away from him.

"Yeah I can…I'm a mediator just like them." Paul responded and nodded towards Jesse and I.

"So, you could see me this whole entire time?" She asked him.

Ok. I was getting really confused. What was going on between the two of them?

"Yes…" He said in reply.

"Then why didn't you summon me like Suze did? For God sakes Paul! You're my boyfriend! You should want to see me!" She shouted, the tears now gone. The cup on the coffee table started to rumble with the anger Jenny had building up.

Wait a second…Did she say Paul was her boyfriend?

"I just couldn't Jenny! You died! My girlfriend was dead! I heard you die in the bathroom!" He replied and looked on the brink of tears. Paul and Jenny looked at each other for another beat. Then finally Jenny took Paul into her arms and gave him a hug and then a kiss on the lips.

Jesse and I looked away and gave them a moment of privacy. As the two of us sat there I realized something. Paul had been at the party the night Jenny had died.

So he had known all along that it had been Bloody Mary that had killed her and hadn't said a word about that to Father D, Jesse or me.

Someone had a lot of explaining to do and for once, it's not me.

..OOoOOoOOoOO..


	3. Chapter 3

**Bloody Mary**

**Chapter 3**

"You knew all along and never said a word?" I hissed at Paul moments later after he dropped that little bombshell. I was whispering so the Jesse and Jenny couldn't hear. It was a nice apartment and all but the walls where far from sound proof. I had practically yanked him by the ear into Jesse's bedroom, leaving Jesse to entertain Jenny.

Paul ran his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated. He opened his mouth ready to say something but quickly shut it before a word could come out.

"What? What is it Paul? Just spit it out!" I whispered getting aggravated myself.

"I didn't know…" He replied and plopped down onto Jesse's bed.

"You didn't know what?" I asked, sitting down next to him trying to manage my anger. Deep breaths Simon. Deep breaths.

"I didn't know that the legend was true! If it was I would have never let her-" His voice broke and he took a second to clear his throat. "I would have never let her go through with the dare."

I looked at Paul, really looked at him. He looked completely scared out of his mind. Then I noticed something else. Tears. Tears where actually running down Paul's face. Paul Slater, the man who was willing to kill for my affection not to long ago, was crying.

I was at a complete loss on what to do. Then I knew. I jumped up from the bed and grabbed a box of tissues that was on Jesse's nightstand and offered him one. He graciously took it and blotted at his eyes. He muttered thanks and cleared his throat once again.

"Paul, why didn't you tell Father Dominic, or me or Jesse even, what had happened?" I asked sitting back down next to him.

He sat there in thought for a moment.

"Well, I suppose I was in shock or something. I heard her die Suze. I heard her screaming. I cannot sleep at night without hearing those screams." He mumbled.

I bit my lip. What was I supposed to say to something like that? If I ever heard something like that happen to Jesse and couldn't stop it…Well I wouldn't be able to sleep either.

"After it happened, a couple of guys and I managed to get the door down, it had been locked. And I found her. Dead with her eyes scratched out. Blood was everywhere…" He paused before continuing. "You know what the funny thing is? I didn't see her ghost. Maybe I wasn't looking for it or something." He ran his hands through his hair again. "Does this make any sense?" He asked me.

"Kind of." I answered. He continued with his story. "After I found her, a few of us stayed behind, her best friend and her boyfriend and I. We called her parents, and then we called 911. Everyone else at the party left…"

This boy was truly hurting. You could see it in his eyes.

"Paul…We will figure out why the legend is real ok? We need to. For Jenny's sake and in case anyone else decides to play the game anytime soon. We need to stop her." I said after an awkward moment of silence. "Are you in?"

He nodded and got up and went back into the kitchen without another word. I could only assume that it was to see Jenny.

I got a funny feeling that he was finally understanding why it hurt me so much to see Jesse as a ghost and then I started to worry that he may try to solve it like I did, which is to keep her from dying in the first place.

Hopefully though, Paul won't do that. Because what happened to me was pure luck, the fact that Jesse lived I mean. Paul wouldn't be that stupid, would he?

* * *

The next day I found myself in Father Dominic's office an hour before school started. Jesse had given me a ride early since he had classes to get to at his college anyway.

"So Paul saw it all?" Father D asked fingering the packet of cigarettes like he usually does when stressed. He hasn't smoked in years but he once told me that just holding them calms him.

"Well he heard it, not saw it." I replied playing with the silly putty again and drinking some of his coffee.

"Hmmm very interesting. So do you have a plan?" Father Dominic asked taking his own sip of coffee.

Boy did I ever.

_Last night Jesse dropped me off at my house so I could have my family dinner that Andy so heartily prepared._

_Anyway, after eating one of his most delicious meals yet, I went up to my room, did my homework as rapidly as I could and wondered over to Doc's room. Doc knows practically everything in the whole entire world so I figured he could maybe give me more background on Bloody Mary._

"_David!" I hollered as I knocked on his bedroom door. "Its your favorite person in the whole wide world!_

"_Come in Suze." He replied._

_I came in and saw him poured over a textbook working on 11th grade math. Yeah, did I mention that he's a freshman?_

"_What's up?" I asked and sat down in an extra chair._

"_Just working on some math problems. Can I help you Suze?" He asked looking up at me._

"_Well, actually you can. What do you know about Bloody Mary?"_

"_The legend? Which one in particular?" He asked._

"_Anyone of them."_

"_I know that she's a ghost that appears when you say her name in the bathroom mirror. And if she's a ghost, that means you can see her."_

"_What's that now?" I asked, my heart starting to race. I knew that Doc knew about my abilities but to be so blunt?_

"_Ok. Suze. I know you can see ghosts, I don't know how or why, science cannot explain it, but I know that you do. So if Bloody Mary is a ghost, then that means you can see her." He said with a smirk and went back to his math._

_Huh. I hadn't even thought about that. Doc is a genius. _

I told Father Dominic about how we could see Mary and he looked a little shocked his self.

"That was very smart of David." He said and leaned back in his chair in thought.

I smirked and played more with the silly putty fighting back a yawn.

"Yes it is. Which is what led me to a plan." My smirk became a big grin.

"And what's that Susannah?" He asked.

"I'd prefer not to say it quite yet, but don't worry Father D. I've got it covered. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go use the bathroom before class starts." I said and got up leaving Father Dominic to holler at me to come back and tell him.

I couldn't though. He would tell me not to do it. But the plan was so simple, it had to work so what was the use worrying him? I was simply going to call Bloody Mary and toss her sorry ghost butt into the Twilight zone, so to speak. I mean it is my ability to do that. So why shouldn't I?

I wandered over to the bathroom and took care of my business. I was just about to leave when I heard Kelly Prescott and Tiffany Wafner come in. Tiffany was Jenny's best friend. I hovered in the stall and quietly picked up my bag and stood on the toilet seat. Hey, a girl has to do what a girl has to do.

Just as I suspected, Kelly checked to make sure no one was in here.

"Kelly, I know it's just a legend but I really don't think we should do it again." I heard Tiffany say in her nasally voice.

"Don't be stupid. Come stand here with me and I'll prove that it wasn't why Jenny died. Bloody M does not exist!" She said.

Uh oh. She wouldn't…would she?

"Kelly I really don't think we should-"

"Shut up and stand here!" Kelly demanded.

I heard Tiffany's Prada shoes clack against the marble of the bathroom floor. I could only assume that she was standing in front of the mirror with Kelly.

"Bloody Mary…Bloody Mary…Bloody Mary!" Kelly said with mock enthusiasm.

I was ready to scramble out of the bathroom stall the moment I heard any screams. Much to my surprise, I heard nothing.

Kelly's laughter filled the bathroom.

"I told you it was stupid. God Tiffany way to be gullible. I'm going to see Mark, so I'll see you later. Oh and don't take too long! Jason is waiting for you outside." Kelly said still laughing as she walked out leaving Tiffany inside the bathroom.

All I could hear was her breathing and then her sniffles. I realized then that Tiffany was crying. Crying over Jenny perhaps?

The sniffling stopped and I heard Tiffany scream.

I froze, completely awkward over the toilet still yet.

It took one more scream to get me out of scared girlie mode to kick-ass mediator mode.

I jumped down and unlocked the door and came face to face with poor Tiffany. Her eyes where bleeding, or better yet, they where scratched out. I glanced into the mirror and saw Bloody Mary. Or the ghost of her at least. Thinking on my feet, I swung my bag (that had my pre-calculus and history book) at the mirror causing it to shatter and Tiffany's screams to lesson. I looked around, still ready to fight off the crazy ghost, but I didn't see a trace of Mary.

Serves her right.

I glanced at Tiffany who was now on the floor clutching her eyes, and still screaming. A guy, Jason I could assume, came fleeing into the bathroom, his eyes looking bewildered.

"Jesus, what happened?!" He shouted. 

"Call 911! And get some help!" I replied and tried to soothe Tiffany as much as I could by assuring her Mary was gone.

Jason just stood there like a big ox.

"Go!" I pressured.

He sprinted out calling for help. I looked back down at Tiffany who was now sobbing red tears. I resisted the urge to throw up at the site of so much blood.

"She's gone…I promise you she's gone…" I muttered into Tiffany's hair. I was now holding Tiffany and rocking her back and forth like a baby. Strange, but it was seemed to be working.

Finally, Jason came back with Mr. Walden who was prepping for his class early. The moment he saw the scene, the blood, broken glass, me rocking Tiffany, Mr. Walden seemed to pale and stager on his feet. Jason didn't bring the best help for the scene but he was an adult. Mr. Walden whipped out his cell phone and called 911 before trying to pry Tiffany from my arms. When he finally did, I realized I was shaking to the core. I had gotten rid of Mary for now, but how long would she stay gone?

Jason and I stood in off to the side while the EMT's took care of Tiffany.

I looked down at my white Dior shirt and saw that it was stained with blood. Ok, that's it. Bloody Mary was now officially on my list.


	4. Chapter 4

**Bloody Mary**

**Chapter 4**

_While you may think you're safe from mean ole Bloody Mary, think again... Legend has it that if you are near a mirror in total darkness, she can still come for you, regardless of whether or not you're trying to call for her._

_-Anonymous_

I was pacing, causing the carpet pattern in the living room floor to go the opposite way, something that would make my Mom angry once she notices it.

"Susie…" My mother said softly entering the living room carrying a cup of hot cocoa and setting it down on the coffee table. She sat down on the couch, watching me pace more. She had come home from work early just to take care of me, even though I insisted I was fine.

After Tiffany's near death experience this morning, Father Dominic sent me home for the day. He told me I'd been through enough stress. Boy was he right. I was tense and confused and just wanted this whole thing to be over, hence the pacing that I was doing.

"Susie…" My mother said softly again breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I asked and glanced at her. I then noticed that my Mom was staring at the carpet that was now messed up thanks to me. I stopped pacing immediately.

She and I stood there and just stared at each other for a moment.

"Why don't you go change and then we can sit and talk." She finally suggested with a wince.

I looked down on what I had on. Tiffany's blood was still on my shirt and pants. My clothes where ruined and would have to thrown out. No wonder she hadn't wanted me to sit down on the couch next to her earlier.

"Yeah Mom. I'll go change. Just give me a minute." I traipsed up the stairs and instantly stripped, placing the clothes covered in blood in the trashcan. I couldn't look at them the same anymore anyways.

I showered off, and changed into a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt before I returned downstairs already feeling better in my comfy clothes.

My mother was still sitting in the living room sipping her own cup of cocoa flipping through a magazine. She looked up and set down the magazine when she saw me. I could tell that she felt better now that I wasn't wearing clothes covered in my classmate's blood.

"So honey…Do you want to talk about what happened?" She asked and patted the seat next to her indicating for me to sit down.

How was I supposed to reply to that? It's not like I could very well say, 'Bloody Mary did it ma!' and have a cookie. She would send me straight to the loony bin. No, I could never tell her what really happened. Instead, I will have to come up with a fake story, just like I've had to do so many times before.

"So what happened was-" I said ready to begin the lie that I had planned while showering (hey, I knew it was coming okay?). Before I even managed to get another word out, the front door swung opened.

There stood Doc and Dopey looking tremendously wet. The weatherman this morning had said there was a 90 percent chance of rain, so by the looks of the two, the weatherman was correct.

My mother jumped to her feet and put her hand out in front of them, blocking them from entering.

"Don't you dare walk inside this house soaking wet! You'll stain the carpet!" She said. Doc and Dopey stopped dead in their tracks and stood on the welcome mat on the front door. There is one thing you don't ever want to do and that is ruin Mom and Andy's house. I think the only reason why she didn't tie me down when I was pacing earlier was because I had just been through what some might call, a traumatic event, oh and the fact that I was covered in blood.

"Don't move. I'm going to get some towels." She said forgetting about me (not that I mind) and went off to find some linen to protect the white carpet and to help dry off the guys.

Once she was gone, I raised an eyebrow at the two of them.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked and took a drink of the Cocoa my mom had lovingly prepared. School doesn't get out for hours but here they are, home before lunch even began.

"They sent everyone home. The police had to investigate or something." Doc replied and took off his shoes and socks and put them on the front porch so Mom wouldn't yell at him for tracking in mud. Dopey followed Doc's lead and did the same thing.

"Word is that you saw the whole thing." Dopey said and stripped off a layer of clothing and placed in on the porch with his shoes and socks.

For the record, I really don't like watching Dopey get undressed.

"Yes. I was there." I answered not wanting to really go into it.

"So you saw what happened to Tiffany?" Dopey asked me and leaned against the doorframe.

"Yeah I did." I replied tersely still sipping my Cocoa.

"Did she do it to herself like everyone's saying?" He asked.

Doc said something before I could respond. "Kelly Prescott said that she did do it to herself because she was depressed about Jenny. She also said she scratched her eyeballs out after she broke the mirror in the bathroom."

Huh. So that's how they're explaining it. The police think that Tiffany shattered the mirror and proceeded to, shutter upon shutters, scratch her own eyes out just like her best friend had done.

"Kelly seemed really thank full that you where there to save her." Doc added and tried to clean his glasses off with his wet shirt.

I grunted in reply. Kelly was pretty much the reason why Tiffany's eyeballs where injured since she had been the one to call Bloody Mary.

"Did you guys find out any news about her? Tiffany I mean." I asked chugging the last of the hot cocoa. It was doing wonders for my mood. I was suddenly feeling more relaxed. Maybe it was because my mother made it with love?

"I over heard Father Dominic saying to Sister Ernestine that Tiffany may be blind but it was too soon to tell for sure." Dopey replied and used the doorframe as a scratching post for his back. What a lovely site to see. Not.

My mother returned with the linens and handed them over to the boys. I took this as an opportunity to excuse myself and go upstairs to my room. My mother, still fussing over the fact that they where going to ruin the carpet if they came inside, didn't even notice.

Once in my room, I went over to the mirror, debating whether to do my plan now or later. I opted for later since, if anything went wrong I could have Paul by my side as back up, he'd want to be included anyway. Like I said the plan is pretty easy. Summon Mary, go to the Twilight and send her soul to where ever they go to.

Besides I needed some questions answered before I could exorcise her. Why had Mary only come to certain people? Kelly was the one who said it, yet Mary did not appear until Kelly was gone. Maybe it was something Tiffany and Jenny had in common?

According to CeeCee, they have been best friends and have been inseparable since the age of 6. Could that be the connection? But that didn't make much sense…

Unless…Unless Tiffany and Jenny did something to piss Mary off giving her a reason to come after the two of them.

My phone rang, breaking me of my thoughts and causing me to jump out of the chair I was sitting in.

I put my hand to my chest and took a deep breath (I was feeling pretty jumpy today) and I picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Susannah, its Jesse."

As if I didn't know. As soon as I heard that voice of his my knees melted. Oh his voice…

"Hey…What's up?" I plopped down on the window seat and glanced out at the ocean. Something really hard to see because of all the fog and rain.

"I heard about what happened…Father Dominic called me." He replied sounding concerned.

"Yeah it was Bloody Mary Jesse. She did it to her. To Tiffany I mean. I saw it with my own eyes." I answered.

"But why?"

"I don't really know. I think there's a connection between Tiffany and Jenny but I don't know what it is yet." I stretched out on the window seat and rearranged the pillow.

"Well, need help?" He asked.

"I probably will." I answered and let out a big yawn.

"Quierda. Why don't you take a nap? You sound exhausted." He said.

He was right. I was tired. I hadn't slept much the night before anyway. Plus you know, I saved Tiffany's life and going through that…Well that's enough to drain a girls energy.

"Ok I think I will take a nap. Call me later to wake me up?" I asked letting out yet another yawn.

"I will quierda. Sleep tight."

I hung up the phone and pulled my window shades shut and turned out all the lights making it dark before climbing into my bed.

.OoOoOoOoO.

I was freezing. My teeth where chattering and for some reason my eyes stung. What was going on?

I opened my eyes and put my fingers to them. When I looked at my fingers I saw they where covered in blood. Oh my God…It was Bloody Mary.

I sat up quickly and looked at the mirror that faced my bed.

There she was…Staring at me with her black hair covering part of her face, grinning. She was mouthing something to me.

It took me a minute to figure out what she was saying. Then I realized what it was.

Bloody Mary was saying, "There are a few more people left for me to get to. Then I'm coming after you."

"Why?" I shouted. It was getting harder and harder to see. Everything was blurry due to the blood. Or perhaps I was going blind?

Mary laughed smoothing out her white night gown.

"You're a smart girl Susannah." She hissed.

* * *

I sat up quickly in my bed, my breathing erratic. It had been a dream. I had merely dreamt that bloody Mary had appeared. My hands flew up to my eyes and when I looked at them not a single drop of blood was there. It really had been just a dream.

I swallowed and glanced at the mirror, if Bloody Mary wasn't there, it would really confirm that it wasn't a dream.

I let out a gasp, not expecting what I was seeing.

On it, written in blood was, "_Scared yet_?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I have been a mediator for as long as I can remember. In that time I've come across some odd things, like poltergeists similar to those out of the film _Ghostbusters_. I've even encountered a vampire who really wasn't an actual vampire. Once, pissed off RLS Angels tried to drown me in the ocean. But this one ghoul…Bloody Mary she takes the cake.

She had me petrified. So freaked out in fact that I was currently contemplating moving to another state and never looking in a mirror again. Which is saying a lot, because I tend to be a tad vain when it comes to my looks.

I took a deep breath and mumbled some words of encouragement to myself. I was standing in front of the mirror that was dripping in blood. I shutter to think whose blood it actually is. As soon as my brain began to function after the shock of seeing "scared yet" in the mirror, I had jumped out of my bed and threw back the curtains letting the sunlight come in.

I had to make sure my eyes where not playing tricks on me. Much to my chagrin, they were not.

I studied the mirror, trying to stay calm. Mary was nowhere in sight but apparently she had a grudge against me. Perhaps she was angry because I had managed to stop her from killing Tiffany?

Why would she want to kill Tiffany? Or Jenny for that matter?

Gathering up as much courage as I could, I grabbed some paper towels under my bathroom sink and wiped down the mirror. I chucked the towels and tried to think about what to do next. I couldn't go back to sleep, I had to many questions rolling around in my head. Perhaps Doc was up…

I wandered over to his room, knocked on the door and entered. He was glued to his computer working on some school project. When did Doc sleep? It seems to me that all he did was study and work. I felt kind of bad for him… A kid his age should be out playing video games with his friends and goofing off. But then again this was Doc I was talking about. Doc was wise beyond his years.

"Hi." I said and sat down on his bed.

"Hey Suze. Need help with something?" He asked and turned around his red hair sticking out in spikes behind his ears.

"Well…" I began and flashed him a smile. "You know how I asked about Bloody Mary before?"

He nodded and pushed his glasses back up on his nose.

"Can you look and see what will happen if you happen to, I don't know…" I paused searching for the right words. "What happens if you look Mary in the eyes but manage to come out unscratched?"

He frowned.

"Suze what-"

"This is strictly hypothetical." I said before he could ask any questions.

He hesitated, clearly wanting an explanation on why I'd ask such a ludicrous thing.

"I'll do some research and find you when I come across something." He finally said breaking the silence.

I nodded and mumbled a thanks. I stood up flashed him a smile and started my way out of his room.

"Suze…If you're in trouble you can always tell me." He said before turning back to his computer.

I nodded to him again and walked away genuinely touched by his concern. But honestly, how was I supposed to tell my stepbrother that Bloody Mary had it out for me?

* * *

"I'm bored." I complained to Jesse as I crinkled up my straw wrapper feeling sheer tedium. I had decided to keep the fact Bloody Mary was after me a secret. I mean, what could he do about it? Jesse I mean. He could not very well, keep her from coming after me in the middle of the night. All he knew was what Father Dominic had told him, which was basically that I saved Tiffany from being Bloody Mary's next victim.

I could use Jesse as a distraction though to keep me from thinking about it. Her being after me I mean. This is how I found myself at The Clutch after dinner. Before I had left, Doc had promised me that when I got home he'd have some answers for me.

"Well, querdia, tell me about your day." He said as he fussed over his own homework. He was typing up an essay due tomorrow. He was still learning how to type so he used one finger at a time. Damn he's so adorable.

"My day was good. How was yours?" I asked staring at the part of his face that showed up over the laptop he was using.

He didn't even look up at me. It was as if he didn't hear me at all.

"Ok so I'm talking to myself?" I asked Jesse's forehead.

He grunted in response and continued to type. Clearly, he was listening to me speaking. Not.

"Well so today I saved a cat from a tree and then Paul and I eloped." I took another swig of my drink, waiting for him to answer.

Much as I expected, Jesse grunted in reply. I rolled my eyes and propped my feet, which were decked out in my new brown Guess boots, on a chair next to me.

The annoying bell jingled as someone walked into the coffee shop. I glanced over to see who was entering. Maybe there would be some good people watching at the very least. Much to my surprise, it was Adam and CeeCee. Adam waved and I motioned for them to come join us. They grabbed a couple of chairs and plopped into them.

"Hi." I said to the two of them as they settled in. I hadn't seen or spoken to them since I saved Tiffany in the bathroom this morning.

"Hey Suz! Hey Jesse!" Adam and Cee replied. Jesse, being the oblivious person he is when he's focused, kept on typing.

Adam raised an eyebrow towards Jesse noticing his lack of concentration on the world around him.

"He's busy with homework. He probably doesn't even realize you're here." I said.

CeeCee and Adam exchanged a glance and looked over at Jesse again. He was still in Jesse land typing away.

"So Suze, I can't believe what happened with Tiffany." Adam said still staring at Jesse.

"What do you mean?" I asked and chewed on my straw. Nervous habit I suppose.

"I heard that she called Bloody Mary-"

I shivered as he said her name and tried to avoid looking at the mirror that was placed on the wall opposite of me.

"and when she called her she was there." Adam finished not noticing my shiver.

"Yeah. I guess she was because next thing I knew she was screaming." I replied not really wanting to go into further detail.

"Good thing you where there Suze." CeeCee said staring at me. "Suze, will you go with me to get a coffee for me and Adam?" She asked.

I nodded and got up with her. As soon as we were out of earshot and vision from the boys she yanked my arm and dragged me over to an empty table, violently shoving me into a seat.

"Ow. CeeCee what is wrong with you? And have you been working out? I didn't know you could do that." I asked rubbing my arm where she grabbed it.

"You saw her didn't you?" She hissed and sat down next to me.

"Saw who?" I asked still rubbing my arm.

"Bloody Mary."

Again, I shivered involuntarily.

"Yeah…I saw her in the mirror when I came out of the stall." I replied biting my lip. I really didn't want to discuss this.

"Oh man…Suze what the heck is going on here?" She asked looking concerned.

"I don't know. But I think there's a connection between Tiffany and Jenny." I answered.

"What about her other best friend?" She asked and slouched in her chair.

"What other best friend?" I asked thrown off. I had just assumed that Tiffany was the one and only bff.

"Stephaine… Her best friend since they where born?" She said looking at me like I was stupid. Maybe I was. I mean, people could have more then one best friend I suppose.

"What about her?" I asked getting confused, clearly not getting the point CeeCee was trying to make.

"Well, if there is a connection between Tiffany and Jenny then there must be a connection between her and Stephanie too. Like maybe Mary is going to go after her next?" She asked and slouched in her chair.

Huh…Now that was something to think about. I had a sudden thought.

"Cee, do you think Mary could be getting revenge?" I asked my brain swirling.

"Revenge?" She echoed.

"Yeah…Like that's why she targeted Tiffany and Jenny. And possibly Stephanie." I answered.

"Revenge for what?"

"I don't know. Have the three of them been involved in anything?" I asked leaning closer to CeeCee.

If the three of them got involved in something and pissed Mary off it would make this whole mess make sense. And because I stopped Mary from killing Tiffany, Mary gets mad at me and wants me dead too.

"Like what?" She asked catching on to what I was saying.

"Like anything."

CeeCee tapped her hand against her chin. Then she got up, not saying a word and wondered back to the table with the boys leaving me to scramble to keep up.

"Jesse. Do you get wireless?" I heard her ask as I walked up behind her.

Jesse startled that someone was speaking directly to him, glanced up and nodded.

"When did you get here CeeCee?" He asked looking more confused.

"Can I see your computer for a minute?" She ignored him and held out her arms.

"Sure just let me-" Poor Jesse didn't get to finish his sentence because CeeCee had already snatched his computer and sat down, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

"What is she doing? And what happened to the coffee you guys where getting?" Adam asked me.

"I have no idea. And get it yourself."

"Dios mio she types fast." Jesse exclaimed. Maybe I should give him typing lessons for his birthday…

"Thanks." Cee said. "Is this what you mean Suze?" She asked and turned the screen towards me.

I looked at the screen and was instantly overwhelmed.

The headline read, "_Local Teen dies in car crash_."

Below the headline was a picture of the victim. And that victim was Bloody Mary, the girl who I had seen only hours before in my bedroom and in the school bathroom. Only in this picture, she wasn't a monster. She was a teenage girl laughing at whoever was taking the photo.

Below her picture was a snapshot. The snapshot was of Tiffany, Jenny, Stephanie, and three boys. They were smiling at the camera hanging out at the beach.

"Oh my God." I muttered and swallowed. _What the heck is going on?_


End file.
